Midland Reflect on Surprising First ACM Award Win

04/09/2018 12:06 pm EDT

Midland will likely never forget their first ACM Award win. The trio, made up of Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson, are the reigning ACM New Vocal Duo or Group winners, finding out by a personal phone call by this year's host, Reba McEntire.

"To be honest, we were completely surprised," Wystrach maintains. "Our tour manager had led us to believe that we had a phoner with a local radio station for a ticket giveaway. And it was early in the morning and we had a late show the night before and hadn't had much caffeine and were pretty groggy. So when we sat down and started the phone call, they had filmed it saying that the radio station wanted footage because we were giving the tickets away to their fans. So we just went along with it and then sure enough, Reba McEntire comes over the phone.

"All of us kind of looked at each other, and when she said that we had won ACM New Vocal Group of the Year, immediately we were flushed with emotions," he continues, "and just kind of, for the first time, at a loss for words. We just hugged and just started kind of yahoo-ing. It was just really surreal, one of those really wild surreal moments and just incredibly exciting. It's our first big victory and one that we won't soon forget."

Midland, who were nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, for "Drinkin' Problem," still have a chance to give an acceptance speech in person. The trio is also nominated for Vocal Group of the Year and Single Record of the Year, for "Drinkin' Problem." The industry recognition is even more proof for Midland that their risk to leave their jobs and pursue music full-time was worth it.

"We want the most out of life," says Duddy. "We all could have stayed doing what was obvious, I guess maybe just a path of least resistance for us back in California and wherever we were before Midland, but this was the calling and it was overwhelming and I don't think anybody was strong enough to deny the urge to kind of follow this thing."

Other early winners include Lauren Alaina, for New Female Vocalist, and Brett Young for New Male Vocalist. The 2018 ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 15, at 8:00 PM ET on CBS.

Photo Credit: Instagram/Midland

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